Talismans and Powdered Newts
by CatClawz
Summary: Discontinued-probably permanently. Someone's trying to kill Harry, of course. But, genius hero that he is, he can take care of them...with a little help from his friends. R/R is nice.
1. Chapter 1

Okay, this is my first fanfic, so I hope everybody likes it! (Please review!) And I really don't know what year it takes place in so guess.  
  
Disclaimer: I own diddly!!!! End of story.  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Harry raced down the hallway. He was late for Transfiguration. McGonagall would be furious, and he would have to listen to Hermione lecture about the importance of education all through lunch. He grimaced and ran faster; it was all he could do.  
  
And a few moments later he stopped short so he wouldn't run into a small man standing in front of him. He hadn't noticed the man, hadn't seen him at all, and if he had kept running any longer he would ran into him. The man smiled up at him. He wore grimy robes and they were becoming threadbare, showing the sparse frame underneath. Harry stared at him in surprise. "Uh, excuse me," he said. "Were you looking for Professor Dumbledore's office? It's in that direction, on the.on the.." Harry trailed off for the man was still looking up at him.  
  
There were a few moments silence. "No, actually," said the man in a dialect Harry couldn't place. "I came to see you."  
  
"Me?"  
  
"Yes. Your name. I need to know your name."  
  
"What? Why, do you-"  
  
"I must find out your name, young master. My.employer inquires."  
  
"But everyone knows my name. What do you-?"  
  
"Your name. TELL ME!" The tiny man took a menacing step forward, reaching into his robes.  
  
"Harry!" Harry shouted. "My name is Harry Potter," he said.  
  
"Ah." The man drew in a long breath. There was a look of something like relief on his face. "Thank you, Harry Potter. I'm grateful that I did not have to do something.drastic." He smiled and Harry thought it looked like the smile of a wolf.  
  
"What is it you-" Harry began, but a loud yowl interrupted from his feet. He looked and found Mrs. Norris' red eyes glaring up at him. She let out another loud mew.  
  
Harry looked up and got another shock. The man had disappeared without Harry even hearing him go. He stood staring for another second, then remembered the cat beside him and ran flat out down the corridor.  
  
He made it to the Transfiguration room in record time, but he could see from the clock that he was seven minutes late. "I'm sorry Professor. I met someone in the corridor who...who was trying to find Dumbledore's office," he explained.  
  
Professor McGonagall raised her eyebrows, but said only, "Five points from Gryffindor. Take your seat please, Potter."  
  
Harry sat down beside Ron who also looked at him with raised eyebrows. Later, mouthed Harry. He turned to face to the lesson.  
  
***  
  
The three of them sat down on the benches of the Great Hall. Lunch, delicious, welcome lunch appeared on their plates, and the trio ate quickly and hungrily. "So," said Ron through a mouthful of food, "what made you so late for Transfiguration? Who wanted to see Dumbledore?"  
  
"No one," said Harry quietly. When the other two looked at him he described his odd experience.  
  
"Disappeared?" said Ron, food forgotten.  
  
"Disappeared?" Hermione echoed. "But that's-"  
  
"Impossible. You can't apparate or disapparate on Hogwarts grounds. I know. I have no idea where he went. I should have seen him in the corridor even if he left quickly. And I didn't want to hang around looking with Filch coming after me."  
  
"Why'd he want to know your name, I wonder?" said Ron. "Maybe he's some shady dark wizard working for You-Know-Who. Cursed you when you weren't looking. Maybe that's why he wanted to know your name. Make sure he was cursing you and not some other student."  
  
"I suppose so," said Harry doubtfully.  
  
"Oh, really," said Hermione sarcastically. "He managed to curse Harry in about two seconds without Harry even noticing? Besides we'd be able to tell if Harry was cursed. If it didn't kill him straight off or make him ill, he'd at least be acting strangely."  
  
"I dunno," said Ron gnawing at his food. "My dad's come across some pretty unusual curses at the Ministry. Like this one old lady who cursed her husband in September and he died in June. Just because he gave her a rose on their anniversary in September, and she hated them."  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Well, somehow I don't think that's what happened to Harry. But I do think he might have been some sort of dark wizard."  
  
"So what do we do?" asked Harry.  
  
"Wait and see what happens I guess."  
  
***** A/N: Um, I know that was kind of a stupid ending, but, um.I'll fix it in the next chapter okay? :) 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own diddlieness!  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Harry walked through the dungeons with Ron and Hermione. It had been a week since his encounter with the odd man, and they hadn't figured out anything about it. All they knew was that Harry hadn't suddenly dropped dead, and that now they faced double Potions with the Slytherins.  
  
They reached the Potions dungeons and found Lavender Brown and Neville with the rest of their house facing the Slytherins. They joined the Gryffindors and stood talking with their friends.  
  
From the Slytherin side of the corridor Malfoy stepped forward with Crabbe and Goyle at his back. "Well, Potter-" he started, but at the same moment there came the swish of a cloak and the footsteps of Professor Snape could be heard coming along the corridor. He rounded the final bend and observed his class with the usual sneer along the Gryffindor side and a nod to his favorites on the other. He opened the door and ushered in the class snapping at them to hurry up.  
  
Once the roll call was given Snape surveyed the class with his usual look. "Today," he began (the nasal tone of his voice grated down the nerves of every Gryffindor in the room), "we will be creating Parali potions. A Parali potion will paralyze any part of the body it touches. The paralyzed person will feel a numbness, and nothing else for ten minutes.  
  
"There will be no fooling around with these potions. I will take twenty points from the house of any person who tries to use this on another student. The potions are for the school." He paused before continuing. "Now, today we will be using powdered newts. You have worked with powdered newt tails, and eyes, but this time we be using the entire newt. The tail- "  
  
"The anus," whispered Malfoy loudly.  
  
"The legs-"  
  
"The guts," said Malfoy again.  
  
"The head-"  
  
"The boogers!" hissed Malfoy, laughing as all the Gryffindor girls looked at him in disgust.  
  
"-And the claws. Now choose partners and tables. Set up your cauldrons. Hurry up!"  
  
Harry quickly sat down with Ron. And a few seconds later Malfoy and Crabbe sat down across from them. Malfoy watched with cold contempt as Ron and Harry put their supplies on the table. "My god, Weasely," said Malfoy in mock surprise. "You're things look almost modern! Was it very difficult begging for them?"  
  
"Watch yourself Malfoy, or I'm gonna-" said Ron too loudly. Snape's head twisted around to look at them.  
  
"Ten points from Gryffindor for talking out of turn, Mr. Weasely," he spat out. Then he turned to the entire class. "The jars on your tables contain your newts. Take out your.." Here Harry began to let his attention wander, taking in and following directions, but not really listening. (As everyone does in class. Except Hermione.)  
  
Ron and Harry worked together on the potion, ignoring Malfoy's comments from the other side of the table, though from time to time Ron's hands would clench and his ears would go red.  
  
The two had almost finished their potion when suddenly Harry froze. There was a sound from above his head. A voice. And though it was muffled he could still hear it. Must find the boy. For Master. Find him, kill him, kill Harry Potter. Master says I may eat him. Yess, young, tasty.  
  
Harry jumped in surprise. And unfortunately flung powdered newts all over Malfoy. The powder hung in clumps on his face and robes; it stuck to his wet hair. Ron was red and laughing so hard he was having trouble breathing. If looks could kill Harry would have been a million ways by Malfoy, each more painful than the last. Harry could barely take this in, but he was brought back to earth as Snape swept angrily across the dungeon to their table. Though perhaps angrily was too mild a word. He looked livid.  
  
"What's the meaning of this?" he hissed looking back and forth between Ron and Harry.  
  
"Potter threw the powdered newts at me, Professor," said Malfoy in a pitiable voice, though his eyes glared across the table.  
  
"Twenty points from Gryffindor, Potter. Now clean up this mess!"  
  
"Professor-" began Malfoy.  
  
"Yes, Malfoy, go to the bathroom. Take as long as you need." Snape glided away smoothly from the table. "I will see you at the end of class, Potter."  
  
The rest of their double potions passed largely without incident. Malfoy never came back, and he had taken Crabbe and Goyle with him. Ron looked as if he was dying to say something, but he never quite dared with Snape glaring at them. But whenever the teacher turned his back, Ron would snicker under his breath.  
  
The lesson finally ended. Harry packed his things slowly, motioning Hermione and Ron to go on without him. After waiting for everyone to leave he slowly approached the front of the classroom where Snape stood.  
  
"So, Potter," Snape said slowly. "And just why did you fling powdered newt all over Malfoy? Could you possibly have a good reason?"  
  
"It was an accident," said Harry.  
  
Snape's face took on a disbelieving look with a sneering, curled upper lip. "An accident?" he repeated scornfully. "I find that rather hard to believe. Everyone knows you make a habit of picking fights with Malfoy."  
  
Harry opened his mouth to defend himself, then shut it again. "Not saying anything, Potter? How unlike you. Your mouth usually takes after your father's. Always defending himself against the terrible injustices of his life. Poor Potter, with everything so hard." Harry's blood boiled and his teeth clenched. He stood straighter, looking Snape right in the eyes. They were more or less the same height now, and it was harder for Snape to intimate him. Annoy him, yes. And Snape could definitely make Harry hate him, but it would take one of his spitting rages before Harry got really frightened.  
  
They stood and glared at each other.  
  
Snape was the first to break away. He turned and began agitatedly going through the papers on his desk. "You may go, Potter," he said tersely, without turning. "Two days detention."  
  
Harry hurried for the door, a little startled by how easily he had gotten away. And he wanted to find his friends and tell them what had happened, why he had gotten in trouble in the first place. As he reached the door he heard Snape mutter so low he could barely understand, "Lily's damn green eyes."  
  
***  
  
Harry met up with Ron and Hermione at their Care of Magical Creatures lesson. Harry gave a Hagrid a hurried explanation of why he was late and hastened to his friends' sides. Before he could tell them anything, however, Hagrid began the lesson.  
  
The rest of the day passed the same way. At supper Ginny, Neville, Seamus, and some of their other class mates were all sitting too close for Harry to want to tell his friends. The three of them had no time to talk until they went to the common room to work on their homework.  
  
They got out their things so the rest of the Gryffindors would think they were doing their homework before Hermione and Ron could speak privately with Harry.  
  
"So, Harry, spill! What made you fling newts all over Malfoy?" Ron asked eagerly. Harry was silent for a minute.  
  
"Do you two remember second year when I was hearing the basilisk in the walls?" he asked quietly. The other two nodded, suddenly wary. "Well, I heard another voice today."  
  
Hermione was white and Ron looked at least as bad. Harry was reluctant to say anything else. "It was different of course; it seemed.well, feminine I guess. And smaller; it wasn't so loud." They were still both staring at him, and he couldn't manage to continue.  
  
Ron was the first to break the silence. "And.what did it say?" he asked in a strangled voice.  
  
Harry hesitated again. "Oh, go on, Harry," said Hermione. "You've told us this much. What did it say?"  
  
"It said-it said that it wanted to kill me. It was looking for me," he hurried on, trying not to see the horror on his friends' faces. "It didn't know where I was. It was trying to find me for its master."  
  
Ron's mouth dropped open. "Well, that's it then!" he said loudly.  
  
"What?" said Harry confused.  
  
"That snake! It's really an Animagus! It's the man you saw last week!" Harry stared in surprise at the obviousness of this.  
  
"I don't like to jump to conclusions," said Hermione, looking at Harry, "but it seems like he could be right. It makes sense."  
  
"That man told you his employer wanted to know. And maybe he didn't want you to know it was really for his master." Ron paused, thinking, then said, "I bet it's Voldemort."  
  
"Now that doesn't make sense," Hermione interrupted. "Think about it Ron, Voldemort already knows where Harry is, and everyone knows what Harry looks like. A Death Eater wouldn't need to ask his name. Maybe we're wrong. After all, if that man was out to kill Harry, he could have done it right there in the corridor. No one was watching." She looked at the two of them.  
  
Harry shrugged. He wasn't sure anymore. He was about to go back to his homework again when Hermione interrupted one last time. "I do know one thing," she said looking at him sternly. "You should tell Dumbledore."  
  
*****  
  
A/N: There you go. Chapter two. :D Hope you like it. More to come as soon as I get this brain box working. 


	3. Chapter 3

Ah ha! Chapter 3, finally. I'm trying to do too many things at once. It slows me down. Thank you for reviewing!! Yay, sank you so much! I have decided that it's fifth year. Please pay no attention to the new book. Stuff happens in my story that completely doesn't work with it so.please bear with me!  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Harry checked his watch as he hurried toward the library. Divination didn't start for another half hour, and so he was going to try to get some studying in. When his Divination lesson ended he had Quidditch practice until supper, and then more Quidditch after he ate. He also had his second night of detention to serve. He wanted to get as much of his homework done as he possibly could; McGonagall would have a fit if he didn't finish her essay.  
  
A hissing noise behind him stopped him dead in the empty corridor. Moving painfully slowly he turned.  
  
A large snake lounged on the carpet, its head raised, its tongue flicking in his direction. A constrictor. A large constrictor. There was no doubt in Harry's mind it could kill him whenever it wanted too. And he wasn't sure he knew any spells to stop it.  
  
Harry Potter, it hissed. Harry Potter.  
  
Harry lifted his chin defiantly. His hand gripped his wand tightly, ready to move at a second's notice.  
  
"Harry Potter," it hissed again. It paused when he made no response. "What?" it asked. "Do you not remember me?"  
  
Harry started, amazed. "Do I know you?" he asked in the same language.  
  
"I should hope so," the snake laughed. "I am the snake you set free from that zoo several years ago."  
  
Harry's jaw dropped. He looked closer. The snake's pattern could quite easily be the same one he had seen all those years back. And it was about the right size.. "What are you doing here?" he asked. "I thought you were going to Brazil."  
  
"I did go to Brazil. And now I am back. I have news you must hear. Come over here. It is slightly more private; I do not want anyone to see us." The snake slithered into a small side passage coming off from the corridor. It was dim and seldom used; Harry had to watch where he placed his feet so he wouldn't step on the snake's tail. About halfway down the passage they stopped. Harry sat on a small side table, the snake slithered its way up something opposite.  
  
"What is it you wanted to tell me?" Harry asked.  
  
"Several things. None of them good. How to begin..." it paused, musing. "First you must know that Voldemort is trying to kill you."  
  
"Voldemort's been trying to kill me all my life," said Harry, unimpressed.  
  
"Yes, but this time he has sent his personal servant. Nagini, one of my own kind," the snake said in disgust. "You are in particular danger from her."  
  
The snake had amazed him again. "A snake?" he asked incredulously. "I heard a snake the other day. Saying it wanted to kill me. That was Nagini?"  
  
"It must have been. She has been wandering the castle these past two days, searching for you. She was called away this morning by her master, but you can be sure she'll will soon by back, looking for you again. And if she finds you she will try to kill you."  
  
"I know," said Harry, "but what am I supposed to do about it? I'll just have to try and curse her when she finds me. I know some good spells, and I can't go around looking around my shoulder all the time. Maybe Hermione can-"  
  
"Harry Potter, you must be very careful who you tell about this. If you do tell, make sure it is someone you trust with your life."  
  
"-But I do trust-"  
  
"There is another problem," the snake cut in. "Have you noticed anything odd about the castle lately? Trouble with the suits of armor, and maybe the moving stairs?"  
  
"Well, yes, but how did you know?" Harry asked amazed. Over the past week odd happenings had occurred at random all over the castle. Statues were coming to life in the corridors, including one of a monkey, which had tried to strangle a second year. Suits of armor were known to chase groups of students with there swords, and the staircases were completely unnegotiable. Dumbledore had made an announcement just a few nights back at supper asking the students not to worry, they would solve the problem as soon as possible. And now this snake, which Harry hadn't seen in years, knew of the problems.  
  
"A friend informed me of it. It is not completely unexpected, it's simply that no one remembers it should be happening. I'm not certain why it's happening, but I know what you must do to fix it.  
  
"Long ago, when this castle was built, the Great Seal did not hang alone." Harry knew of the Great Seal. It hung near Dumbledore's office; it was the castle seal, all the houses were represented on it. "For each house there was a talisman which fit into a slot on their portion of the seal. After a century or so the talismans disappear from their slots; it's the nature of their magic. The castle is fine for one hundred years after the talismans disappear, but if none of the talismans are replaced at the end of the one hundred years then.unpleasant things begin happening."  
  
"Unpleasant things?"  
  
"I'd rather not go into details. Suffice it to say, if the talismans are not replaced, and soon, the castle will be in grave danger. And you may want to replace the Gryffindor talisman first."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"It is said that the house who replaces their talisman first gains a certain power over the rest of Hogwarts."  
  
"What sort of power?"  
  
"I'm afraid I can't help you there, I have no idea. It is supposedly only a rumor, but.given the state of things around here, I can't help but think it's true. And just think what would happen if one of your rivals put their house's talisman in first."  
  
Harry thought of Malfoy placing the Slytherin talisman in its slot, thereby gaining some kind of control over everything, and shuddered inwardly. Awful thought, that.  
  
"So, you're saying that if I find the Gryffindor talisman and place it in the slot, everything will return to normal? Normal for Hogwarts, I mean."  
  
"It should, yes." The snake stretched its very long coils. "I am sorry, Harry Potter, but now I must leave you. There are many things I must do. Do you know the empty Green room at the back of the dungeons?" Harry nodded. "Good. If you need to speak with me, go there at seven in the morning or eight in the evening."  
  
"All right."  
  
"Goodbye, Harry Potter." The great snake was slithering away down the passageway.  
  
"Goodbye," said Harry quietly. He wasn't sure the snake even heard him.  
  
He sat still in that way for another minute longer. Then he remembered what he had been doing before he met the snake. He glanced at his watch. He could barely make it out in the dim light, but his half hour was gone and then some. If he hurried he could make it to Divination reasonably late.  
  
Harry's head emerged from the trapdoor of Professor Trelawney's room. He surveyed the tower quickly as he pulled himself up. His classmates were all there, but Professor Trelawney hadn't yet sat down. He wasn't very late.  
  
Professor Trelawney swept imperially past him as he slid into the seat Ron had saved for him. "I know in future you will try to be more punctual, dear. Don't worry about an explanation this time; I have seen you struggling with the great matters of Fate, young man, on your way to this afternoon's class. Soon all these things you worry about will be resolved." Parvati and Lavender oohed in admiration of their teacher. "Now, as I was saying class.."  
  
Harry mulled over what the snake had told him. He just barely paid attention to Professor Trelawney. As Ron opened the deck of Tarot cards lying on the table, he asked why Harry was so quiet.  
  
"It's nothing, really," said Harry. "Just something I saw in the corridor.." He trailed off.  
  
"What, did one of the suits of armor pull his trousers down for you?"  
  
"No," said Harry automatically, not catching his friend's light tone. They lapsed into silence as Ron idly shuffled the cards.  
  
Professor Trelawney swooped down next to their table asking, "Having trouble, dears?"  
  
"No!" they both said at once. "Just deciding who should go first," Ron added.  
  
"Very well, dears. Ask if you need help," sighed the disappointed professor. She left their table as Lavender called out her name.  
  
"So anyway," said Ron, "pick a card."  
  
"All right," said Harry. "Do you know what you're doing?"  
  
"Sure. It's all right here in the book," said Ron pointing. "Pick one."  
  
Harry shrugged a whatever and reached forward. After he picked on, Ron went through many elaborate steps to lay out the cards that would tell Harry's fortune. Ron went paging through his handbook, dredging up meanings that sent them both into fits of laughter. From across the room Professor Trelawney frowned at them, and before they could stifle their sniggers she had marched over to their table.  
  
"It is quite obvious you boys are having difficulties. Move over Mr. Weasley, and I shall demonstrate. Now, Mr. Potter, choose a card," she said, shoving the deck towards him. He picked one, and she proceeded to show them how to read the cards.  
  
The reading was punctuated by "Oh my's!" as Professor Trelawney found danger and terrible threats in every card. Harry was thoroughly glad when she finished.  
  
"You must be extremely careful," she said as she stood up. "You are in no end of peril. In fact, you should make a prediction chart for the next month. You all should. They will help you compare the predictions of the cards with the predictions of the stars."  
  
There was a collective groan from the class. Ron sat down again and Harry stumbled through reading his cards. As he did he thought about what the snake had said. About not telling anyone unless he trusted them with his life. The more he thought on it, the more the answer became clearer.  
  
He would have an easier time if he could get out class early. But what kind of excuse could he use? He racked his brains as the minutes slowly ticked by. Ron was looking at him curiously again.  
  
"Harry, you better tell me what's wrong. Was Snape making you late? Bugging you about your detention or something?"  
  
"No, nothing like that. It.well, it's kind of complicated or.or at long. I'll tell you in common room tonight, but I want to try to get out of class early to talk to Dumbledore." Ron's eyes widened at the implications of this. "I just don't have a good reason, and I can't think of an excuse."  
  
"Well," said Ron after thinking for a moment, "I have something that Fred and George gave me. They invented it; it's like a fire cracker except, well, it's not quite safe."  
  
"Isn't everything they make?"  
  
"Yes, well, when you set this one off, it burst into flame. It's meant to, kind of, seek out and attack homework, but it burns everything else in its path. So maybe if we set it off near your stuff.."  
  
"Yeah, good idea." A minute or two later the firecracker exploded near Harry's leg, making everyone shout. The flames made a beeline toward his bag of supplies, which Harry whipped off the floor. The other half of the little bonfire spread quickly to the bottoms of his robe and made its way to try and climb his pant leg. Harry twisted about trying to stamp out the flames while choking on the large clouds of smoke issuing from them.  
  
"Hospital wing," he choked out, hopping to the ladder. He heard a faint, "Very well, dear," above him as took two rungs at a time down the ladder. He stood coughing at the bottom for a full minute before he felt better. He silently thanked Ron and made his way to the seventh floor where Dumbledore's office was.  
  
In front of the stone gargoyle Harry hesitated. Dumbledore was sure to have changed the password since he was last here, but Harry knew from experience that the password was always some kind of candy. "Licorice!" he said hopefully.  
  
Nothing happened.  
  
Harry went on to try peppermint candy, Dumbledore's ever-favorite lemon drops, gumdrops, and several others before anything happened. At the word taffy the gargoyle sprang aside.  
  
Harry jumped onto the stairs, running up them as they moved. He stopped at the door and raised his hand to knock. Dumbledore's voice was coming through the wood in a quiet murmur, but Harry didn't stop to listen today.  
  
At his knock, Dumbledore's voice stopped and there was dead silence in the room beyond. Then Dumbledore said, "Come in," in a clear carrying voice. Harry opened the door.  
  
Sitting in a chair before Dumbledore's desk was Remus Lupin. Standing near by was an enormous black dog, which transformed into Sirius Black as Harry closed the door. "Harry!" he said crossing the room quickly.  
  
"Hey Sirius. Hey Lupin," said Harry, glad to see them both.  
  
"Harry," said Dumbledore. "Please have a seat."  
  
Harry sat in the unoccupied chair. Sirius stood between the two chairs. Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Is there a reason you came to see me, Harry?"  
  
The three of them were all looking at him. "Well, yes," said Harry slowly. He tried to think how he could best explain everything he had heard. "I met someone in the corridor before Divination, and.."  
  
"Not the same person who asked you for directions to my office a week ago, I hope?" Dumbledore asked, eyes twinkling.  
  
"Um, no." said Harry feeling his face go red.  
  
"There was someone you spoke to a week ago that made you late, correct? I should hate to have to tell Professor McGonagall that we were telling her fibs. I can't think it would go well with her." Lupin and Sirius were looking slightly bewildered by this exchange but the participants paid them no attention.  
  
"Yes. There was a man there. He wasn't looking for you though, he was looking for me." At this the three adults narrowed their eyes in attention.  
  
"Looking for you?" said Sirius in suspicious tones. "Who was he? What did he want?"  
  
"I have no idea who he was. He wanted to know who I was." The other three exchanged glances.  
  
"Very well, Harry," said Dumbledore gravely. "Who is it you met today?"  
  
"A snake," said Harry. "One I haven't seen in a long time." He noticed Lupin's eyebrows rise. "When I was almost eleven the Dursleys took me to the zoo with them on Dudley's birthday. When we were there I spoke with a Brazilian snake. I.I accidentally managed to let it out, I have no idea how, the glass just disappeared, and it kind of went after Dudley." Sirius and Lupin were looking at him with a mixture of astonishment and amusement on their faces. On Dumbledore's face there was only the latter.  
  
"The snake knew about the problems we've been with castle, with the armor and stairs and stuff." Harry proceeded to explain what the snake had said about the missing talismans.  
  
"Interesting," said Dumbledore. "And you're certain the snake had no idea where to find these talismans? Oh, well, I'm certain some enterprising person will turn them up," he added, dead seriously when Harry shook his head. "Is there anything else the snake mentioned?"  
  
"Well, for one thing, he's going to stick around so if I need to talk with him, I'm to go to the Green room at the back of the dungeons at eight at night or seven in the morning. And also.."  
  
When Dumbledore looked at him questioningly he continued. He kept his eyes on Dumbledore's so he wouldn't have to look at Sirius' and Lupin's faces. "You see, Professor, I've been.hearing voices again."  
  
Dumbledore's attention focused completely on him. Harry tried to ignore the way Lupin and Sirius stared at him. "Where did you hear these voices, Harry?"  
  
"In Potions just yesterday. It was only one voice really. I asked the snake today and he thinks it was Nagini, Voldemort's snake servant."  
  
"How do you know it wasn't the same snake you were talking to today? What if it's just trying to fool you?" broke in Sirius tightly. "Are you going to believe it?"  
  
"I know it wasn't the same one, Sirius," said Harry. "The one I spoke with today was definitely male, and in Potions it was female."  
  
"Did you happen to catch the snake's name?" asked Lupin calmly. Harry shook his head. He hadn't even thought to ask.  
  
"Do you happen to remember what this voice, apparently Nagini, said?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
"Well," said Harry, "it was saying that it was looking for me so it could kill me."  
  
Harry found ensuing silence a bit odd since any snake belonging to Voldemort would want to kill him or use him for something.  
  
Dumbledore spoke. "Harry, I would suggest that you don't go anywhere on your own if your snake friend tells you Nagini returns. I am very grateful to hear about this though. Was there anything else you wished to add?"  
  
"No," said Harry. "Not really."  
  
"Very well. In that case I suggest you hurry to your next class. It's nearly time for the bell."  
  
"Yeah, your right," said Harry. He bent over to pick up his bag, then crossed to the door.  
  
"If you think of anything else, Harry, please come and speak to me," Dumbledore said.  
  
"Write me too," added Sirius. "Write me anyway."  
  
Harry grinned. "Don't worry, I will, Sirius. See you later. Bye, Lupin." "Goodbye for now, Harry."  
  
The door closed on the three grown wizards. Harry took the moving stairs two at a time. He could tell already that he, Ron and Hermione were going to be staying up late talking tonight.  
  
***** A/N: In case you want to know (and if you don't then I guess don't read this) the snake is from Brazil, not Berma like he says in the movie. 


End file.
